Lego Movie’ posts top box-office opening of 2014 with $69.1 million

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All the pieces connected for “The Lego Movie” at the box office this weekend, as the 3-D animated release far exceeded industry expectations to post the biggest opening of the year.
The family film debuted with a robust $69.1 million, according to an estimate from distributor Warner Bros. Heading into the weekend, pre-release audience surveys indicated the picture would start off with about $50 million. Instead, the movie ended up collecting almost $30-million more than did “Ride Along” — previously 2014’s biggest hit — when it opened last month.